This document discusses stereotypes related to sexuality. It notes that sexual orientation refers to emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to men, women, or other genders. Common stereotypes of homosexuals, heterosexuals, and bisexuals are outlined. The document also discusses how sexuality is represented in media, whether those representations are fair, and the history of these stereotypes. It considers whether there is any truth to the stereotypes of sexuality.

1. STEREOTYPES OF SEXUALITY

2. SEXUALITY
Sexual orientation: is a pattern of emotional,
romantic or sexual attraction to men, women, both
genders, neither gender or another gender.

3. STEREOTYPES OF HOMOSEXUALS
 It is just a phase.
 Gay men could die of aids
 Gay men are feminine
 Gay women are butch
 Gay men can’t get married or have children.

4. STEREOTYPES OF HETEROSEXUALS
 They are monogamous
 They are the hegemonic norm of society.
 ‘There is nothing wrong with heterosexuality.’
 Male partners are the abusers.
 Nuclear family
 Straight couples always have children.

5. STEREOTYPES OF BISEXUALS
 They are confused, undecided, dabblers , insecure.
 Just going through a phrase
 Experimenting
 They are promiscuous
 They are greedy

6. REPRESENTATIONS OF SEXUALITY IN MEDIA
 Gives a broad view to the viewer of people’s sexuality.
 Stereotypes are used to make TV more interesting.
 People can relate to the characters because of the people
they know or themselves.
 Most likely to be found in TV dramas.
 Over stereotype the views of stereotypes of sexuality.

7. ARE THESE REPRESENTATIONS FAIR?
 Representations of homosexuals are unfair as
views are still controversial.
 Gay people are still prejudged and discriminated
because of their sexuality.
 Heterosexuality still seen as the hegemonic norm
of society- not equal.
 However, many TV programmes are being made
about these stereotypes- ‘Orange is the new black.’

8. HISTORY OF THESE STEREOTYPES IN SEXUALITY
 In the 50s...
People saw homosexuality as a disease. There were TV
adverts warning young boys to beware of homosexuals. The
advert had shown a gay man telling a young boy to get in the
car- the voiceover warned people to beware of homosexual
man as they are predators and they groom young boys.
 In the 60s...
Heterosexuals were seen as the ‘normal’ way to be. In the 60s
being gay was illegal and many gay men would get married to
the opposite sex to cover up their sexuality.
It is unknown of how the cruel stereotypes of being ‘weird’ or
‘predator’ came from, but people back in that time that they
were child molesters and that gay teachers would groom male
students.

9. IS THERE TRUTH IN THESE STEREOTYPES OF
SEXUALITY
 Theorist Tessa Perkins said that there is an
element of truth in every stereotypes, which
includes sexuality.
 Gay women are represented as ‘manly’ or ‘butch’
(not always) in the media.
 Gay men represented as camp-meterosexual (not
always) in the media.
 straight couples get married and have children,
however, not always true as some straight couples
don’t get married or have children and straight
couples have a high rate of infidelity and divorce.